Digital agrees to buy 9.95% stake in Olivetti for about $340 million; plan commits Italian firm to use of the Alpha chip as core of its computers

Article Abstract:

DEC promises to buy a 9.95 percent share of Ing C Olivetti and Co for about $340 million in exchange for an understanding that Olivetti will base its computers on DEC's new Alpha reduced-instruction-set computer (RISC) microprocessor architecture. DEC is counting on the strategy to spur sales of its RISC chips and circuit boards in Europe and establish a significant market share in a race against chief rivals Sun Microsystems Inc and HP. Acquisition of the Olivetti stock will take place in three stages over two years. Forty percent of DEC's $13.9 billion in 1991 revenues came from Europe. For the quarter ending March 31, 1992, DEC posted a loss of $294.1 million on revenue of $3.25 billion.

Semiconductors and related devices, Usage, Microprocessor, CPUs (Central processing units), Investments, Design and construction, Product development, Olivetti S.p.A., Workstations (Computers), Digital Equipment Corp., DEC, Workstations, Financial Analysis Software, RISC, RISC processors, DEC DECchip Alpha (Microprocessor)

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Lotus takes hard line on software

Article Abstract:

Lotus Development Corp files suit against Borland International Inc and Santa Cruz Operation Inc, charging copyright infringement. Lotus claims that Borland's Quattro software infringes on Lotus's copyright for Lotus 1-2-3. Lotus's complaint against Santa Cruz Operation is similar. These actions follow immediately upon a copyright infringement victory that Lotus Development won, in the week of Jun 25, 1990, over Paperback Software International. At issue in these cases is the similarity of menus - screens and keystrokes - between Lotus's 1-2-3 and the other companies' products.

Computer software industry, Software industry, Cases, Copyrights, Lotus Development Corp., Patents, Spreadsheets, Spreadsheet software, Borland International Inc., LOTS, Patent/Copyright Issue, Court Cases, Lotus 1-2-3 (Spreadsheet software), BORL, Santa Cruz Operation Inc.

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Prime Computer share-offering price is cut again; Shearson charge expected

Article Abstract:

Prime Computer Inc lowers the price of its stock to $12 per share, resulting in Shearson Lehman Brothers Holding Inc to assess a pretax charge of $40 million on a loan. Prime was privatized in a leveraged buyout in 1988 and is being publicly offered again. Prime will change its name to Computervision Corp. The company's stock will be divided with 52 percent held publicly, 35 percent held by DR Holdings Inc and 13 percent by Shearson Lehman. Additionally, Computervision will sell debt securities totalling $300 million.

Investment advice, Security brokers and dealers, Securities, PRM, Price, Stock, Prime Computer Inc., Public Offerings, Shearson Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Digital pursues mail-order PCs, forges alliances. DEC planning to use RISC in flagship line. Digital Equipment, facing possible loss for its 3rd period, mulls severance plan
• Abstracts: Digital stubs its toe kicking IBM mainframe. Digital begins to make cuts in work force; buy-out may be offered to up to 8,000; charge seen in fourth quarter
• Abstracts: Digital posts first profit in over a year, citing strength overseas, Alpha sales. Wang Labs posts $146.6 million loss for third quarter
• Abstracts: Digital outlines spending cuts of $400 million: broad reorganization plan said to seek to refocus engineering, research
• Abstracts: N.V. Philips to eliminate 10,000 jobs; new chief puts '90 deficit at $1.07 billion, vows to hold computer unit

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